Rotarians get lowdown on therapy dogs

ANSONIA  Therapy dogs Tigger and Blackie stole the show Tuesday at Rapps Paradise Inn during the weekly meeting of the Ansonia Rotary Club.

Patricia Villers

Published
12:00 am EDT, Wednesday, August 20, 2003

Tigger, a red brindle-colored greyhound, accompanied Ruth Tuccio of Seymour, coordinator of Griffin Hospitals Therapy Dog Visitation program. She spoke to the eight Rotarians about the program she founded seven years ago.

The volunteer program now boasts 20 certified therapy dogs and their handlers. All of the dogs are the volunteers pets, Tuccio said.

The initiative is subtitled PAWS, "People and Animals Working in Spirit."

Blackie was there with his owner, Margie Miles of Shelton, a Griffin volunteer.

"Hes an all-American mutt," Miles said.

She started by taking Blackie to obedience classes, before he took three one-hour tests at Griffin.

Before a dog becomes a volunteer, it is tested on interaction with other dogs and in the hospital environment.

Miles said the dogs learn they cannot bark or get excited.

Miles dresses Blackie up for holidays and special occasions.

On Tuesday, he sported a tropical print summer cap and jacket, complete with yellow plastic sunglasses. "On Valentines Day he was Cupid," she said.

"I gave out valentines to patients with his paw print on them," she said.

Miles said the dogs benefit patients, staff and visitors.

"The patients just love it. Its great when an elderly person who hasnt responded to anything gets a smile on their face."

Tuccio said the program is officially dubbed "therapy dog visitation" because not every pet can make the cut. "(Either) the dog has it in them to be a therapy dog or not," she said. "It has to have the temperament and it also has to want to do this."

Tuccio said when families are stressed about their loved ones who are hospitalized, the dogs can ease that stress just by being themselves.

"My favorite part of the program was (to learn that) when youre waiting in the emergency room and theyll bring the dogs in to take your mind off your problem," said Rotarian Judith Nicolari of Ansonia.